Hello,
In January I will be in Miami for the first time. It will not be (only) a spotting trip, but of course, I would like to spend some time at the airports.
About Miami MIA and Fort Lauderdale FLL I can find information on the web, but as I also like to take pictures of the biz jets, can you help me, and give me some information about those.
I'm thinking in FXE, TMB, APF and PBI (are there more??) Which ones have more traffic, they have more traffic on weekdays or weekends, are they spotter friendly? I will have a car.
Thanks,

All are very good for biz jet spotting. I will run down the list for you. Just about all the airports have a spotting area...

PBI - Has a spotting area on the SE corner of the airfield near the Gulfstream building. Exit Hwy 98/80 from I-95. Get onto the perimeter rd next to the highway and you will find a small viewing park. There you can possibly see Trump's 757, which I got last week relatively easy to shoot - although had to drive down the way a little and shoot through a fence. The spotting area is kind of distant for smaller biz jets like Lears, Citations, but good for Gulfstreams and the larger types but I only use a 300mm lens, if you have a bigger lens you are better off. Some biz jets may taxi by close from the eastern FBOs PBI might be the busiest biz jet airport of the Miami area airports - commercial traffic there is boring however, with just the common airlines

Boca Raton - gets a lot of biz jet traffic, but no official spotting area to my knowledge

FXE - Has 4-5 FBOs, I've been there where I hardly see movement, other times I have seen a lot - depends on the day. Has a very nice spotting area. I think the exit is Commercial Blvd, head west a couple miles and there actually is a sign that says "Viewing Park". The viewing park is located on the SW corner of the field. It is covered with picnic tables, but is only good when there is an east wind - otherwise departures are belly shots

FLL - Great for biz jets, depending on the day. They also have several FBOs and a Bombardier facility as well as an Embraer facility. They have TWO official spotting areas. If west winds for landing or you like take off shots to the East there is the Hibiscus garage by the terminals, which has an official spotting area on the top floor - but if you spend the day there, it will cost you about $10. On the west side of the field is a spotting parking lot with the tower being broadcast for Runway 10L. Only one runway is open now due to the other one being extended so ALL traffic arrives and departs on 10L. Exit at Griffin Rd west - take to first light after train tracks - Anglers Rd - take that north to 42nd St east cross the freeway bridge, turn left on Perimeter Rd - you will see a sign for the Humane Society/dog kennel, go past the kennel (you will see a big tower with the VOR, that is next to the lot)

OPF - no really close areas to get biz jets moving, but plenty of them parked around the airfield - a lot of older Gulfstreams, even some Lockheed Jetstars that they moved now where they are more shootable. Airport is pretty spotter friendly, as you can shoot through the fences there and even use ladders at least in the areas where the commercial planes are stored either to go to another company or get broken up - you will find some Antonov 12s there too

MIA - all biz jet ops occur on the north side of the airfield, pretty much on Runway 8L. There are 2 spotting areas at MIA. El Dorado Furniture, but that is for Runway 9 and doesn't see much if any biz jet traffic, I have gotten 1 in all the times I been there - that runway is more for South American/Caribean airline arrivals. There is another spotting area on the north side. Go to 25th Street and drive down to almost where it ends and you will find the photo holes. There are 5 holes that the airport put in the fence for cameras to use - this is parallel to Runway 12, but you can also get 8L/8R arrivals departures. Problem is, again you need a bigger lens as that is as close as you can legally get to the biz jets - smaller biz jets are kind of small for anything less than a 400mm. Also there can be a heat haze problem for biz jets lining up to depart 8L. MIA gets a lot of interesting biz jets, seems like thee is a BBJ, A319CJ or 727 biz jet there just about everytime I go. You also see a lot of Gulfstream and Global Express movements

Tamiami - Haven't seen what that is like yet, haven't been there in about 13 years and I wasn't into biz jets back then. I am going there on Sunday to check out a museum, but I would like to see what I can get biz jet wise there too.

Quoting NASCARAirforce (Reply 1):MIA - all biz jet ops occur on the north side of the airfield, pretty much on Runway 8L. There are 2 spotting areas at MIA. El Dorado Furniture, but that is for Runway 9 and doesn't see much if any biz jet traffic, I have gotten 1 in all the times I been there - that runway is more for South American/Caribean airline arrivals. There is another spotting area on the north side. Go to 25th Street and drive down to almost where it ends and you will find the photo holes. There are 5 holes that the airport put in the fence for cameras to use - this is parallel to Runway 12, but you can also get 8L/8R arrivals departures. Problem is, again you need a bigger lens as that is as close as you can legally get to the biz jets - smaller biz jets are kind of small for anything less than a 400mm. Also there can be a heat haze problem for biz jets lining up to depart 8L. MIA gets a lot of interesting biz jets, seems like thee is a BBJ, A319CJ or 727 biz jet there just about everytime I go. You also see a lot of Gulfstream and Global Express movements

You neglected to tell him something......what if there are westerlies.......hmmmmmm??????

If you are interested in spotting at PBI - and for Bizjets I highly recommend it - let me know when you are in town and if I am available I would be happy to give you the tour of my home airport. Friday afternoons are by far the best time - constant bizjet arrivals for the weekend.